Mechanical and tribological performance of bi-directional carbon fiber/graphene reinforced epoxy nanocomposite

The present study investigated the mechanical and tribological properties of bi-directional carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites containing nanographene particles, produced by the hand lay-up technique. The various weight fractions of graphene at 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.2 wt.% are added to the matrix in the proportion 50:50 by wt.% and evaluated for their mechanical and tribological characteristics. While the bi-directional carbon fiber reinforcement provides structural stability and anisotropic strength, the graphene filler, on the other hand, contributes to good wear resistance and better load transfer efficiency. The experimental results demonstrated significant enhancements in hardness and mechanical strength, as well as better wear resistance of the composites for optimal graphene loading. Furthermore, the work examines the effect of incorporating graphene into the epoxy matrix with carbon fabric reinforcement on the mechanical and wear damage features as observed through scanning electron microscopy.